The New York Yankees are reportedly scouting Korean slugging first baseman Byung Ho-Park according to many news outlets in Korea. Park is 29-years old and plays first base for the Nexen Heroes in the Korean Baseball Organization and has won the KBO MVP Award as recently as 2012 and 2013, but is he a fit for the Yankees?
In eight seasons in Korea Park has slashed .281/.387/.563/.950 and has hit .351 with 47 home runs and 134 RBI thus far this season. Park currently sits at 205 career home runs in the KBO with 134 doubles and 593 RBI. His bat is great, but where does the glove translate into the Major Leagues?
Mark Teixeira is under contract for the 2016 season and the Yankees seem confident in the emergence of Greg Bird so is DH a possibility? Well, not really. Not unless the team is willing and able to rid themselves of the contract of Alex Rodriguez, and after 2015 why would they want to?
Park's bat would be nice but this seems like either Brian Cashman is doing his due diligence and scouting the slugger or the typical situation where the Yankees are linked to almost every free agent whether they are truly interested or not just to drive up the price. I'm willing to go with the latter.
It won't matter anyway unless they can get this guy for the price of a happy meal
ReplyDeleteWon't matter if he's free if you don't have a position to play him.
DeleteIf the guy is an upgrade and I'm not saying he is just as some of the Cuban players are and were you don't lose out on someone for 6 mill like they already did. Its a joke whether you want to admit it or not
DeleteIf you have two or three first baseman only type players it doesn't matter how good a third is, it doesn't happen.
DeleteI'm not saying sign the guy. I'm saying the tightwad Yanks won't spend the money
ReplyDelete